


A Lonely Marriage

by LiviaHyde7



Category: Pride and Prejudice & Related Fandoms, Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen, The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: 19th Century, Background Bennet Family (Pride and Prejudice), Background things are not okay, F/M, Gen, Isolation, Marriage Proposal, Marriage of Convenience, POV Outsider, The Lonely - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-06
Updated: 2020-08-06
Packaged: 2021-03-05 19:21:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,924
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25750492
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LiviaHyde7/pseuds/LiviaHyde7
Summary: When Mary Bennet is in London with her sister Mrs Darcy she makes a match beyond her mother's dreams, to the rich Mr Mordechai Lukas.
Relationships: Elizabeth Bennet & Mary Bennet, Elizabeth Bennet/Fitzwilliam Darcy, Mary Bennet/Mordechai Lukas
Comments: 10
Kudos: 60





	A Lonely Marriage

Although Mary had grown up in a house with four sisters, she was often alone. Even when surrounded by her family she felt adrift, never part of the conversation, neither welcomed nor unwelcomed. 

In fact she regularly sought to be alone, content to read her texts or practice her music, declining invites to walk into Meryton whenever she could and most especially avoiding the more noisy members of her family when possible, although that was easily managed when they so rarely sought her out. 

Silence and loneliness never bothered Mary, in fact she relished in it, she seemed to grow stronger in solitude, while being drained when in the company of others. 

Mrs Bennet especially did not know how to handle her middle child, even her least favourite daughter the rebellious Elizabeth could at least be graceful in society. Mary however could never seem to find her place. 

When the new Mrs Darcy was to spend the season in town after the birth of her first child, she invited her remaining two un-wed sisters to join her. Mrs Bennet was ecstatic at the chance, to find a husband for the pretty enough and tolerable Catherine and to remove Mary from the house for a period. 

Even though Elizabeth loved all her family, and held all her sisters dearly, even she struggled to talk with Mary for long, even the most simplest of conversations could spiral into a lecture, still she was determined to do right by Kitty and Mary and escorted them along to their first ball in London. 

It surprised everyone that on that very first night Miss Mary Bennet would begin to be courted, that quickly followed with a marriage proposal. 

His name was Mordechai Lukas. 

A man of considerable wealth, with links to trade and connections abroad, but enough inherited wealth to live on, as well as an established family estate named Moorland House in Kent. 

Many were dubious about the union, the couple barely knew each other, and Moorland House was quite isolated, and away from the rest of the Bennet family.

Mr Darcy especially was worried for his sister-in-law, while the Lukas’ were old money not many knew much about them. And the company Lukas kept while all respectable gentleman, such as Robert Smirke or Barnabus Bennett, were a small and secretive group that rarely welcomed outsiders. 

(One of these gentlemen in particular would make Mr Darcy uneasy, he was quite shy underneath his apparent prideful manner, a side that only Elizabeth and Georgiana saw, he hated being the centre of attention, and when Jonah Magnus turned his eyes on him he felt trapped, observed under an intense gaze) 

Still Mary seemed happy in her choice, Mrs Bennet especially was over-joyed to be rid of the daughter she was sure was a born old maid, Mr Bennet was as dubious as Mr Darcy but had yet to deny any of his daughters their choices in husbands and Mr Lukas would provide for his daughter. Besides, he felt Lukas was a better son-in-law than Wickham. 

On a cold and bitter day at the church in Meryton, Mordechai Lukas and Mary Bennet were wed. 

Even with all the initial fear, the Bennet family and relations acknowledged that Lukas and Mary were suited together, at least Mary seemed content in her new position. In fact, word reached not long after that Mary was expecting her first child, and truly seemed to belong in lonely Moorland House. 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elizabeth realised to her great shame that she barely thought about Mary anymore. 

What caused this feeling was a very unexpected letter received in 1825, that Mrs Mary Lukas was on-route to Pemberley with her two daughters and would desire to stay with her sister and family. The sudden letter surprised Elizabeth but she was more than willing to house her sister so suddenly, and who quickly gave her consent and was followed by rapid preparations.

Contact between the sisters had trailed away years ago, with barely a yearly report on each other’s family. Mr Darcy would report sometimes running into Mr Lukas in London and while polite the two men never made any real attempts at conversation or contact. Especially, Mr Darcy admitted almost ashamed, as some members of the group surrounding Lukas and Magnus slowly trailed away or in some cases like the unfortunate Mr Bennett, disappeared entirely. 

Mary when she emerged from her coach looked quite unchanged to Elizabeth, physically well and dressed basically but richly, although noticeably more withdrawn, and quieter, almost unused too extended interaction. She did not smile during Elizabeth’s greeting and briskly beckoned for her daughters to emerge.

Mary over her twelve years of marriage had produced like Elizabeth four children. Her first son Abraham was born barely a year after her marriage and a year later followed Spencer. 

With Mary however was instead her two daughters, seven-year-old Alexandra and little Esther who was barely six. The girls were pretty enough but quite plain, they were quiet girls, and did not seem to know how to react to their Aunt Darcy. 

Elizabeth realised with a start that while she knew about her nieces she did not know them, had never met them, and realised she could barely remember young Abraham and Spencer, had it really been that long since her sister had visited? In fact, she realised, the Darcy’s had never been invited to Moorland House, and at the moment Elizabeth could not think why they had lost contact apart from the occasional letter, in fact she talked to Lydia more than Mary. 

Janey as she affectionally referred to her eldest, quickly took charge of her wide eyed younger cousins and led them to the nursery as Mary got settled in the drawing room with Elizabeth and a light snack and tea was brought to the sisters. 

After some brief catching up that seemed quite forced on both sides Mary revealed the purpose of her visit. 

“I wish to leave my daughters in your care” Mary explained in her usual brisk manner. 

Elizabeth was quite taken aback and cautiously responded “I am more than happy to house my nieces, their cousins will be delighted” before questioning “How long would you like them to stay, are you and Lukas going away, what about the boys?”

Mary shook her head almost impatiently before responding “You misunderstand me sister, I wish for you to become their permanent guardian”

Now that really did take Elizabeth back, and in shock exclaimed “Why?”

Mary seemed to frown thoughtfully as if finding the right words “While Jane is the eldest and I have always found her a bit to innocent, Lydia is of course out of the question and Kitty although now a married woman still appears to me quite silly at times. Out of all our sisters I hold you in highest respect and believe Pemberley will be good for the girls”

Ignoring for now how she spoke of their sisters, Elizabeth again questioned “That explains why you chose me, but why do you want the girls removed permanently, is everything alright in Kent? What about visiting the girls?” Unable to comprehend why Mary was asking for Elizabeth to permanently take on her girl’s upbringing.

“There are other Lukas relatives that would be willing to take them but you are my first choice” responded Mary, still not answering Elizabeth’s questions and before she could get worked up about it Mary looked at her older sister and finally smiled slightly.

“They remind me of you. They are a breath of fresh air really, many times I catch the girls playing together, unlike my sons who are so like their father and will follow family traditions, but I already know Alexandra and Esther do not belong within the Lukas ancestral home” Mary still smiled thinly and seemed to almost implore Elizabeth as she stated, like it was a secret, like it was significant “They are not suited for isolation”. 

Elizabeth did not know what to say, she felt the hairs on her arms stand to attention, she suddenly felt under scrutiny, as if a great eye had her in its line of sight. Elizabeth could not explain why but sat in that quiet drawing room (and why was it so quiet? It was midday, where were the servant’s footsteps, the children’s laughter or even the birds singing?) sat there with a sister Elizabeth did not know anymore, Elizabeth Darcy realised that she was afraid. 

\-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mrs Mary Lukas left the very next morning, she said goodbye to her sister and her husband, who was mostly confused about the situation but no unwilling to have playmates for his younger children, the Lukas family would continue to send money for the children and provide any future dowry’s, matters settled briskly Mary declined an invite to wake the girls to say goodbye and made no comment on future contact. 

The Lukas sister’s did not seem upset with their mother gone, although they did not seem happy ever, in fact over the coming weeks Elizabeth noticed they were indifferent to many things, the girls would frequently clutch each-others hands as if afraid the other was to be taken away and were almost new to how a family should act, Mr Darcy’s sometimes distant but supporting manner, Elizabeth’s playful approach to motherhood, the cousins constant games, it seemed almost exotic to the girls. 

However, over the years the girls blossomed under the Darcy’s care, they lost their nervousness, became more willing to play apart, and even though both still needed moments of quiet, fit in well with their Darcy cousins. 

Contact with Mary however became less and less frequent, she was always welcome to updates on the girls but kept herself distant, she made no mention on the rest of her family. 

Elizabeth wondered if she should be more concerned, if she should travel to Kent, to check on her sister and her nephews. Yet something always held her back, she knew she would not be welcomed, and felt she had no real reason to raise a fuss. With delicacy attempts were made to question the two Lukas sisters on their early home life, they did not say they were mistreated, rather they just had to be quiet.

“When?” asked Mr Darcy.

Alexandra got a grave look on her face as she answered “Always” 

When Mary did write the letters were always brief, lacking warmth or familiarity, her days were always the same, she reported, she and Mr Lukas rarely interacted, and Mary was content to sit all day reading to her hearts content. 

As time passed the girls barely remembered their family, they could not remember their brothers, or father or mother. Although Esther reported she could still remember hearing the distant sound of her mother playing, her music quite improved with practice, and sending haunting melodies down the long empty corridors. 

By the time it was Alexandra’s turn to get married Elizabeth thought about how even though it was a good respectable match, no Lukas’ were sent to represent the family, it was Mr Darcy who led Alexandra down the aisle, although Elizabeth thought it no great loss with how happy the bride looked. 

Elizabeth wondered if Mary was happy, as the rest of the Bennet sisters moved on with their lives, their family spread across the country but in constant contact with a noticeable absence of one sister. Even though Mary was always the quietest of the Bennet’s sisters when they were young, could she truly be happy in isolation?

**Author's Note:**

> This happened when I realised that the period P&P is most likely set and events in the early Magnus Archives were barely around 10 years or so apart, and I thought how could I bring these two fandom's together? 
> 
> Although I actually do have a soft spot for Mary and think she actually deserves better, especially compared to what happened too her in this fic, The Lonely most likely got her early however.


End file.
